Health inspectors close four Hanover supermarkets - One owner fined for breaches last month

The Hanover Health Department is sounding a warning to operators of food establishments that it will be maintaining its vigilance across the northwestern parish as it seeks to whip rogue businesses into line.

In a report tabled at the April sitting of the Hanover Municipal Corporation, the department said it carried out 362 inspections last month and served closure orders and other notices on supermarkets and other food establishments and had the owner of one popular supermarket convicted for breaches.

“A point I would like to highlight is that prosecution was carried out on one food establishment owner in the Green Island area,” Patricia Hall-Patterson, the chief public health inspector for Hanover, told the sitting. “The inspectors went there and condemned some food items, and when they went back, some of the food items were missing, so they prosecuted the establishment’s owner.”

Satisfied with conviction

However, she pointed out despite the business operator escaping with a paltry fine, she was satisfied with the conviction.

“The matter went to court and the clerk of court did not have the listing of the new fines, so the person was fined only $2,000 instead of a possible $500,000,” Hall-Patterson added.

She warned all operators of food establishments in Hanover to abide by the orders issued by public health inspectors as the department has not lost any case in court.

The Gleaner was informed that during the last quarter of 2018, four supermarkets in the Green Island area were ordered closed by the department because of unsuitable and unhealthy conditions.

Workers at various food establishments have also been encouraged to secure their food handler’s certificates.